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Sunday, December 14, 2014

Dune, by Frank Herbert

When Frank Herbert created “Dune”, he did so much more than
just write a book. Instead, he built an
entire galaxy! This is considered one of
the best sci-fi books of all time, and with good reason. “Dune” tells the story of young Paul Atreides,
whose noble family assumes control of the planet Arrakis. Although the planet is a barren desert
wasteland, it is the only source of the spice “mélange”, which is the most powerful
substance in the universe. As Paul
learns the secrets of his new home, he quickly becomes embroiled in the
politics of a galactic Empire.

Be forewarned, this is a LONG book for young adult readers,
tipping the scales at nearly 900 pages!
It’s definitely not a beach read, but rather something that you’ve got
to lose yourself in over the course of a few weeks. If you’re hesitant to take on a challenge
like “Dune”, keep in mind that this book inspired a generation of science
fiction books and movies, including the Star Wars series! There are also a number of Dune sequels, and
many people consider this book to be the sci-fi version of “Lord of the Rings”.

One other neat thing about “Dune” is that it’s been adapted
into movie versions on at least two occasions.
I really enjoy seeing a movie once I’ve read the book, since it allows
me to see how the same story can be told in different ways. One thing’s for sure, with all of the “Dune”
books and stories that are out there, filmmakers will never run short on
inspiration!